Fire chief’s apology to family of Eccles man his crews missed in search of blaze home

A fire brigade boss has given a heartfelt apology to a grieving family after an inquest heard his officers had failed to spot a body in a house. Watch Commander Andrew Roughley told the hearing that ‘mistakes’ had been made. But he said his firefighters were ‘good men’ who would ‘run through brick walls to protect the public’.

Firefighters wearing breathing gear went into the smoke-filled terrace in Havenscroft Avenue, Eccles (above right). But the inquest heard they failed to spot Danny Holt, whose body was partially concealed behind a sofa in the lounge

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A fire brigade boss has given a heartfelt apology to a grieving family after an inquest heard his officers had failed to spot a body in a house.

Watch Commander Andrew Roughley told the hearing that ‘mistakes’ had been made.

But he said his firefighters were ‘good men’ who would ‘run through brick walls to protect the public’.

Mr Roughley was in charge of Amber Watch at Eccles Fire Station when his firefighters were sent to a house in Havenscroft Avenue, Eccles, during the early hours of June 12, 2010.

Firefighters wearing breathing gear went into the smoke-filled terrace. But the inquest heard they failed to spot Danny Holt, whose body was partially concealed behind a sofa in the lounge.

Five minutes after Mr Roughley concluded no one was in the property, a police officer discovered Mr Holt.

The inquest, being held in Bolton, heard how Pc Jill Jackson switched on her torch and saw the 33-year-old’s face before raising the alarm, prompting firefighters to try in vain to resuscitate him. A paramedic crew which had been sent away had to be called back.

The hearing heard Mr Holt had been in Manchester following a Christening and returned home where he turned on a cooker to heat up a chip pan.

Firefighter Richard Newton told the court he had been ordered at first to put on breathing gear and search upstairs. But Mr Newton said he went downstairs after hearing new orders from someone he could not identify. Mr Newton said he then saw a ‘glow’ coming from the kitchen and went to put out the fire.

Mr Newton admitted he had not told his crew manager he had not carried out a full search of the lounge. Asked why, he said: "It’s not something you would do because the incident is still going on."

When asked whether it was his responsibility to locate both the fire and look for casualties Mr Newton replied: "By the book, yes, I suppose."

Pressed again why he had not searched the lounge properly or inform someone it had not been searched, he said: "I still had not put the fire out at that point."

He agreed it had been an ‘oversight’.

Mr Roughley later addressed members of Mr Holt’s family directly, saying: "I know it’s no consolation to you but I have been in the fire service for 26 years and sincerely I have never had to do this before. I am in charge of that crew and I sincerely apologise on behalf of that crew. I am a father myself."

Mr Roughley added his officers were ‘good men and when they went into that premises they did so with the intention of doing their best for your son’.